The study showed that voters who continue to support Trump appear to be more enthusiastic than ever.
Photo: AFP – JIM WATSON
A survey conducted by the New York Times (NYT) revealed that, following Donald Trump’s conviction, a potentially crucial segment of Trump supporters (3%) have now said they will vote for Joe Biden in November’s US election, while another 4% say they are now undecided.
The American media explained that after contacting 2,000 people who in their previous survey (between April and May) supported Trump, it seems that, “although there is no way to be sure whether their opinions reflect the general electorate, the findings offer “unusually clear evidence that the verdict has led some voters to reconsider their support for Trump,” the outlet stated.
According to the report, overall, Trump retains 93% of voters, “a figure that shows another surprising political resilience from a candidate facing three more criminal charges. But in a close election, losing 7% of your followers can be decisive,” he explained.
The shift was reflected more among young, non-white and disengaged Democratic voters who have led Trump to lead in early polls, the outlet said. “Of people who previously told us they had voted for Biden in 2020 but would vote for Trump in 2024, about a quarter now said they would stick with Biden instead.”
Another finding from the survey, according to NYTis that politically disinterested voters, a growth area for Trump in recent polls, are especially likely to switch from Trump to Biden.
The outlet indicated that, with five months until the elections, “there is still plenty of time for Trump to regain his position.” The verdict is still “fresh” in the minds of voters, and changes in public opinion following a major news event can be “fleeting.”
Furthermore, he clarified that the study offers no reason to assume that Trump has lost these voters forever, and many have not yet decided on the verdict. But, “the findings show an unstable electorate.”
“Overall, 8% of respondents offered a different answer in the presidential race than they had given when they were first interviewed no more than eight weeks ago, a figure much higher than many in the country could imagine. polarized today,” he indicated.
On the other hand, the study showed that voters who continue to support Trump appear to be more enthusiastic than ever. “Many of his previously disinterested supporters seemed newly energized by the verdict, with 18% of his followers who previously said they were unlikely to vote now almost certain to do so, compared to just 3% of Biden supporters who they moved into that category,” the NYT revealed.
A New York jury found former US President Donald Trump guilty of 34 counts of falsifying accounting documents to conceal a payment intended to silence former porn actress Stormy Daniels. This is the first criminal trial against a former president of the United States.
The ruling puts the United States in uncharted political territory, but it does not prevent Trump from running for president, even if Judge Juan Merchán, who will announce the sentence on July 11, sentences him to prison.
